News from Middle Tennessee's Jewish Community |
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024
In a cheerful and enthusiastic End of the Year Closing Ceremony on Sunday, May 7th West End Synagogue’s Beit Miriam student, Abi Kullock was presented with the 2023 Simon and Alven Ghertner Award for Excellence in Hebrew.
Three quarters of a million dollars. That is the amount received during the past six years by the fourteen local Jewish organizations participating in the LIFE & LEGACY™ program.
The Kehillah Award, formerly known as the Ralph Shepard Award, is given annually to a Jewish Nashville high school senior who exemplifies the characteristics of outstanding Jewish youth. This year’s finalists are Andrew Biller, son of Daniel and Tara and Biller, and Lily Marger, daughter of Brian and Victoria Marger.
I have often pondered the question of what constitutes a religious person and have never felt satisfied with the responses I have heard others give when asked this very personal question. This question usually comes up when someone inquiries about another’s religius affiliation and the response is frequently, “I am Jewish and a member of our Temple, but I really do not believe I am a religious person.” Other common responses include, “I am more of a spiritual person than a religious one,” and, “I am more a secular Jew than a religious one.” So, the big question, is what exactly one has to do to consider themselves a religious person
A recent Mah Jongg tournament raised much needed funds for the Alzheimer’s Association of Middle Tennessee. Forty players participated in the tournament at the Gordon Jewish Community Center. Alongside the 39 women players was Howard Pink, the lone gentleman, who celebrated his 80th birthday at the tournament. During the lunch, catered by Goldie Shepard, tournament organizer Michelle Tishler presented Pink with a celebratory cookie cake. This year’s event also showcased Pink’s progress in the game over the last 17 years. Tishler says, “Howard participated in my very first tournament in 2006, where he placed last. I honored him with a prize of a ‘Crying Towel.’ In this tournament, he placed first in his division.” During the fun filled afternoon, participants boned in the “tossing of the tiles,” meeting new players and enjoying the game of Mah Jongg.
This year’s Yom Hashoah event featured music, speeches, and candle lighting to remember the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. The event included memorial certificates from Remember Us, a Holocaust B’nai Mitzvah project that invites children preparing for Bar or Bat Mitzvah to remember a child who was lost in the Holocaust. There was also artwork from the Butterfly Project. Through the painting of ceramic butterflies, described as a symbol of hope and resilience, people will remember the 1.5 million children who also died.
Akiva School celebrated its 2023 Graduation Ceremony on May 24th, honoring eight graduates and their families. As they prepared to leave Akiva, the graduating class could not help but feel a bittersweet sense of farewell as they stood ready to embark on the next phase of their educational journey. Looking back on their time at Akiva, graduate Lyla Banish reflected that, “One of the best things about being at Akiva is how I’ve made awesome friendships with my classmates, teachers, and even students from other grades. At Akiva, it’s really like everyone is part of a big family, your grade or age doesn’t matter.” Her fellow graduates unanimously share this sentiment, adding that “we will miss the strong friends we have made here, but know those friendships will continue to grow and be strong.”
